The Guardian
by Kiwi The Dog
Summary: Even the Keyblade Master needs a Guardian. What happens when she turns out to be someone Sora knows? Slightly AU. SK
1. The Letter

Dear King Mickey,

Greetings from the Islands! Everyone here says "Hi" and they all hope that you are doing well. Since the heartless have been gone it has been wonderful. I hope everything stays this peaceful for a long time.

We all hope you are doing as well as we are. I'm personally really happy now that all the excitement and exploring is over. Sora seems to be happy as well, especially with Kairi. He actually proposed to her last night, during our celebration dinner for the completion of this report.

Yuna and Ryu have married now and have decided not to have kids. This isn't a shock to me. They already have Makan, Yukiko and little Sora to look after. I'm hoping to visit them soon. Maybe it would be a nice, little vacation time for me. The Islands may be a paradise, but living this close to my cousin can get tiring.

By the way, this really might not be the report you expect. I know that there are some things that may seem… out of place, but I hope that you realize how important every part of it is. I know it's not formal because of the many personal things that happened along the way, but I hope it is close to what you expected.

I'm also sorry if the report seems cryptic. I was not able to remember everything that happened. This story was fragmented from the beginning and I hope that the accounts from other people fill in some of the larger holes in my incomplete story.

My job as the guardian was much harder than I anticipated at the beginning. However, I do care for my cousin very much and I hope you believe how honored I am to be the guardian.

I do know for sure that this story is far from over, but there is no way I can predict the future. The only thing I wish is that we will stay safe and happy here.

Speaking of happy, Sora and Kairi are getting married next month and they hope that you will be able to attend the wedding here on Destiny Islands.

Thank you for everything that you have done for my fiancée and I. I hope that this report helps you like writing it has helped me.

Thank you again.

Sincerely,

Nakara


	2. We Will Follow the Sun

Chapter I: We Will Follow the Sun 

** We will follow the sun together. Will this love of ours last us forever, hold on… **

Nakara

The Guardian

Sora's face was definitely his strong point in his younger years. He could charm any parent and get exactly what he wanted. However, Sora's face was cute but there was obviously nothing behind it. He had the uncanny ability of getting into trouble, but always managed to charm his way out. He had this spiky brown hair that stuck straight up and you could see a mile away. His skin was not tan but not pale, no one tanned on Destiny Islands despite the constant sun. But his eyes were what made him adorable. They were a perfect clear blue, so blue like the sky. His sky-blue eyes were his name-sake. He was always so happy and bouncy. Sora was always ready to learn and, ever since I can remember, he'd wanted to travel to other places. I think Kairi was the real reason for this.

Kairi came from a different world. She washed up on Destiny Island's shores one day claiming that she didn't remember anything and was taken in by the major of Destiny Islands and his wife. Kairi was adorable and also happy like my cousin. Being small and very innocent were her best qualities. She was sweet and little. Kairi had cute, short, dark red hair, chopped unevenly. Her eyes were a blue green and were the most important key to knowing what she was thinking. Of course being this cute little girl the Sora and Riku fought over her. I know I would be very happy if two guys competed for me… Or… At least that was what I thought then.

Last was Riku, quiet, mysterious and very competitive. His spirit and personality were very endearing. It was obvious that he believed in himself, and willing to take on anyone that stood in his way. His gaze always looked serene and thoughtful. His eyes reflected the shallow aquamarine water that he endlessly seemed to be staring at. For as long as I can remember he wanted to leave Destiny Islands and explore the universe out there, however far a raft would take him. His hair was an unusual silver color, a real silver that shone in the sunlight. He was strong for his age and very confident in his ability to lead, maybe that's what drew me to him.

My parents were interesting people. Though they aren't really part of the story, they did effect how I turned out. They were not the greatest examples to look up to, but I got by. I'm a decent person. My mother was that perfect housewife that always fussed over everything. She liked the house spotless; I couldn't breathe in my own home let alone live. So I found myself staying at Sora's house a lot. But my mother was all right at times. She was so flaky and crumbled at the slightest insult.

My father was practically non-existent. He left early in the morning and came back late at night most days. I was told he was a fisherman, which I believed, but it was interesting that he never brought back any fish. He spent the days getting drunk and occasionally beach combing. He was just lazy.

Destiny Islands was my home. I loved it. But when I was young I had weird prophetic dreams. Whenever I had one it scared me so much that I woke up screaming. Usually I kept the dreams to myself, other than telling them to Riku.

When I was six or seven, now roaming the islands with Riku and Sora, Kairi washed up on shore. It was really hard on my relationship with the two boys because suddenly they didn't really pay any attention to me anymore.

I have to admit, I was jealous. She stole those boys from me! Even though it wasn't her fault I still blamed it on her. She didn't seem to notice that I was mad at her. In fact, she looked up to me because I was older. She confessed to me that Riku and Sora were trying to make her choose between them. After that I didn't feel as bad and at the same time I felt worse. This meant that Riku didn't like me. But what gave me hope is that fact that I knew she liked my cousin best, but I kept it to myself. Sora always talked about her like he was in love with her, and I figured he'd confess some day.

I have to admit, I liked Riku even then. Maybe even loved him. It came a tradition for us to sit outside together before bed and talking about our problems, this was when we talked about my dreams. I really liked him and I thought he liked me, until Kairi came. I just was glad for the fact that she would probably give him up for Sora. But at the same time I felt awful… She was going to break his heart.

When I was about ten years old, Sora was nine, my parents decided that we would leave, and go far away from Destiny Islands. It wasn't a spring of the moment thing. I had made the mistake of telling them one of my dreams. That Destiny Islands would fall into darkness. Though none of them turned out to come true my parents were paranoid. I noticed that my mother did not mention this to my Aunt or any of the other parents on the Island. I didn't really care because I was caught up in my own sadness and how much I would miss Sora and my other friends. The happy days on Destiny Islands were over as my parents put me into the boat and left Destiny Islands for a very long time.

**Riku**

The Darkness

Destiny Islands was my home, but definitely not where my heart was. I always felt alienated in a sense from the rest of the islanders. I didn't look nor did I act like them. Kara says I was mysterious and I guess I was. But I was also very confident. Which is probably why I competed for Kairi

Before Kairi came, Kara was the one I cared about. I liked her, despite her tendency to boss people around. I just went with the flow most of the time, but there were times when we would fight. We still do now. Kara gets so worked up over little things. I really don't care either way. I just fight for the fun. And she's so cute when she's mad.

When Kairi came it changed everything. Sora confessed to me that he liked her and it just clicked. I instantly liked her and was willing to take down anyone in my way. I don't know what it was. I just went crazy. Sora and I made everything a competition for Kairi and Nakara just shifted into the background. Despite the numerous times I beat Sora at everything, she still seemed to like Sora more. It seemed like the same thing happened with Kara. She seemed to compete with Kairi sometimes. Even though Kairi didn't really seem to be fighting back.

When I was young, I was abused horribly, mentally and physically. I was kicked and pushed and constantly told that I was weak and stupid. My mother died giving birth to me and my father was drinking away the pain, and using me as his human punching bag. After awhile, I came to believe that I was actually an awful person. I fought against Sora to prove my strength to get acceptance from Kairi, but I didn't even get that. I hid behind makeup for years, hiding the bruises and the abuse, shielding my feelings away. Locking them inside. I'll never forget that time Kara found out about my abuse...

"We should build a raft!" Sora exclaimed, sitting up from where the four of them were laying in the shade, bored out of our minds.

I sat up and nodded. "Hey yeah! We should! You know, I think I have some tools we could use at my house." I nodded. "I'll go get them…"

Sora nodded. "Yah ok, Nakara can help you out and me and Kairi can gather some wood and stuff!" Sora jumped up happily. I almost protested but I kept my mouth shut, knowing that Sora wanted to be alone with Kairi and get her away from me. Nakara was looking at me, expecting me to protest but I smiled instead. I wasn't going to be that mean to her, she was still my friend and I didn't want to hurt her.   
"Yah ok. Come on Kara." I said standing up and helping her up as well. She gave me a greatful smile and followed.

I headed up the stairs beckoning for Nakara to follow. I thought nothing of it when I dragged Kara into the house and left to go find the tools. "Go ahead and sit while I go get what we need ok?" Nakara nodded in agreement as she took a seat on the couch and walked around the corner towards where we kept the tools.

"I thought I told you to vacuum today." My father surprised me by appearing behind me. There was a slight but audible slur in his voice and his nose was slightly red. "Well I-" I never finished because his fist came in contact with my face, knocking me to the ground.

"Get it done you worthless piece of shit or I'll lock you up for a week understand?" He didn't really wait for an answer and just swaggered away. I lay on the floor, frozen by the sudden pain in my cheek, but I was really worried how badly I was bruised on my face, where I couldn't cover it as easily. I suddenly felt a hand on my back and I instinctively curled up into a ball and covered my head.

"Riku?" Nakara's voice echoed in the sudden silence as she shook me lightly. "Are you alright? I saw.." She stopped and sniffed as if she was crying. "I saw what happened."

"No just… don't touch me. Please."

"Shh." She whispered as she pulled me into her arms.

"No…" I whispered softly. Despite what I was saying, I wrapped my arms around her and lay my head on her shoulder, tears prickling the back of my eyes. "

"Let it out Riku, just… Get rid of it." She said softly, rubbing my back in comfort.

Once she said that, my tears started flowing silently and she held me through it all until I stopped crying.

Nakara was my hope and my confidant. I remember spending countless nights crying and her comforting me. I showed her my bruises and told of my abuse and the names my father called me and she seemed to be able to wipe it all away. She told me that I should let it all out and not bottle it up inside. She told me that her mother held everything in and she turned out to be uptight and fragile.

These nightly sessions were important to my mental health. In exchange she told me all about her dreams. On good nights, we spent long hours on the beach talking, usually at night. Sometimes we'd look at the stars and other times we talked about our many problems. It was nice, we learned quite a bit about each other. I remember this one time now that I think about it, when we were sitting on Paopu Island.

"Hey Riku, I didn't expect you to be out so early," Came a voice from behind me. I didn't turn; knowing already that it was Nakara.

"Well, it was starting to get dark already so I came out to look." I said from my perch on the bent over tree. Kara climbed up to join me and I smiled holding out a hand for her.

"We're leaving you know, to go to…. Somewhere…" She said softly after taking the place next to me.

"I know."

"Riku I…" She started and stopped abruptly.

"Yeah?"

"Never mind…" She mumbled looking up at the stars. I remember wishing that she would look at me.

We sat in silence for the rest of the night looking up at the silver embroidered into the dark linen of the sky. She seemed to always be about to say something but could never say it. Now I'm almost positive she had about to have told me that… She had feelings for me. Which is obvious now. Maybe we just weren't ready then, we were very young.

I was depressed when Kara left, never to come back. Then, about five years later, me…getting... I guess everything just went crazy. I went crazy. Someone told me that before I was overcome I was the true Keyblade master. I don't believe that. Sora was stronger in the place that it truly mattered. His heart.

The constant abuse from when I was little took its toll, after Nakara left; I kept all of my emotion inside. Bottled up. I buried deep inside so I wouldn't have to deal with it. I just didn't realize that I would have to deal with it all at once later. So it was easy to take all those feelings and use them against me. Kairi and Sora were the only ones left who cared about me. So when I lost them… I had no one to turn to. I was so caught up in my thoughts and feelings at that time Nakara was the last thing on my mind. It wasn't that I forgot it was just that I wasn't thinking about it. There were all these people trying to confuse me and get me to side with them. I sat in the darkness for what seemed like years, wishing I could just end it … then I found Nakara again. Nakara, my light at the end of the long, dark tunnel.


	3. Paradise

**Chapter II: Paradise**

When darkness quickly steals the light that shines within her eyes. She slowly swallows all her fear and soothes her mind with lies -Vanessa Carlton 

Nakara

The Island

When my family and I arrived at Luna Islands a day later it surprised me how similar to Destiny Islands it was. It was very lush and you could see the chain of islands that were located off of the coast from the main one that I lived on. A majority of the island was covered in a dense rain forest, though I could see a path entering in. It was a labyrinth of trees and it would take years to get out, unless you knew where you were going. Around there was the same aquamarine ocean, and the same crystal clear sky.

My parents and I were inside the house, unpacking and moving things from the boat into the empty house in the small town on the main island. I took the littler things but that made me tired and restless. My mother sent me off to explore while they moved.

As I walked I thought of Destiny Islands, Sora and Riku. I walked on the edge of the rain forest peering in curiously. But that did not last long when at that moment, a small, blonde boy, very young, two at that time ran out and right into me. He was very cute, and wore blue shorts and a white t-shirt that was a little too big for him. His blonde hair was short and spiky and his eyes were a bright green color that matched the leaves of the rain forest. He looked completely terrified as his big, green eyes welled with tears.

"Oh don't cry," I said leaning down to be at eye level and hopefully appear a bit less frightening. "What's your name?"

"Zephyr." Came the soft reply as he suddenly clung to me. Zephyr was a professional charmer. I picked him up and held him as best I could.

"Well Zephyr. I'm Nakara, What's wrong?" I asked holding him so I could look at his face.

"I lost my brother… In the forest." He said pointing over at the thick rain forest not far from where we were standing. So I put him down and took his hand and ventured into the rain forest. As we walked I found out his brother's name was Scyther and they were both orphans who lived alone. I couldn't find out much more because we found Scyther shortly after.

Scyther was very tall. He was only a year younger than me and he told me that he had to take care of Zephyr ever since his father died in a boating accident. His mother had died giving birth to Zephyr. He had the same blonde hair as his brother, though it was longer and in a loose ponytail. His eyes were hazel and he was very quiet, unlike motor mouth Zephyr. He wore shorts and a t-shirt as well. Scyther informed me that he always carried his huge sword on his back. These two were my best friends on Luna and I was very fond of them. Zephyr and Scyther were always a mystery, they had no family except each other and they told me nothing of their past, I didn't really ask either.

We always seemed to be together and my mother took to Zephyr the moment she saw him and took care of him while Scy and I hung out. Scyther and Zephyr usually stayed at our house, because my mother insisted it wasn't good for two young boys to live alone. There were many other families on the rather large Luna Island, but they all believed the two boys to be too rowdy to live in their clean sparkling houses.

Scyther and I grew closer and closer as the years went on. We both knew we had feelings for each other, but there was something that kept us from saying anything. Scyther was just too shy and quiet and I was too paranoid or something of the like.

I made one more friend on the island, a girl named Hikari who was two years younger than me. She move to the island not too long after me from a place called Traverse Town. She said that she hadn't wanted to move but had been forced to. She was a genius who could build things that could fly and worked on weapon craft. She fixed Scyther's sword on a few occasions.

As the years went by I found Luna islands becoming more and more boring. The rain forest was no longer a mystery and I had built at least a thousand sand castles. The only thing that didn't get boring was looking at the stars at night. This reminded me of Riku and our time together, which might have been the one reason I couldn't tell Scyther I loved him.

At sixteen, I became so feed up with the island I decided to leave. Luna had already found a means of interstellar transportation, thanks to Hikari of course. They had ships called gummi ships that were made on the island copying the design of the ship Hikari and her family had come on. Hikari had duplicated the pieces with something and some procedure that went way over my head. Something about Quantum physics and molecular structure…Hikari's ship had not been tested so I volunteered to try it out, and she agreed that if I would take her with me, she would let me keep the gummi ship.

I prepared myself, not telling my parents of course. My dreams had ceased and I was greatful. I told Scyther and Zephyr that I was going to leave soon and they didn't seem happy. Scyther looked pale but didn't volunteer to go with me either. I was at the age where I hated my parents, and wanted to get away to prove that I could take care of myself.

The night I left was beautiful and full of stars that were reflected on the water. I was of course star gazing that night and making sure I could navigate to somewhere, anywhere. I sat on a rickety, old dock, one of the many on the island that was rather long and took me quite a ways from shore. Scyther as he had started to do a few years earlier, met me there on that night sitting close to me in the dull moon and starlight.

We sat for a while just looking. He was only a year younger but it seemed like the gap had widened. "Nakara." He finally said looking at me, his hands clasped together in his lap. "I- I'll miss you." He did his little rocking motion that he did whenever he was nervous.

I smiled lightly and looked out at the dark water. "I'll miss you too Scy." I answered softly, looking at him and running my fingers through his ponytail.

"Here. I found it the day I lost Zephyr, the first day we met … I want you to have it." He said placing in my open palm, half of a crown necklace. "To remember me by." He added softly. At that time, I didn't remember that it was the same kind of necklace that Sora wore. Scyther looked into my eyes and leaned forward kissing me softly. I wrapped my arms around him. I knew that we would meet again after that night. I just didn't know what would change and what wouldn't.

"Scy…. I-I love you." I whispered my arms still around him. At least I do know, I thought at that moment. Was I being fair? Did I really love him and only him? No. I still had feelings for Riku and there would come a time where I would have to choose between them.

"I love you too." He said and he clasped the necklace around my neck. He kissed me again on the forehead and left me to think. I didn't want him to leave but I said nothing. I watched him walk back down the beach toward my house.

I stared out at the ocean and the reflected stars. The wind picked up and the necklace was lifted by a strong gust. I stood up and turned around, coming face to face with a short, cloaked figure standing… Not on the dock, but we suddenly appeared to be a stain glass, circular I tried to look under but there seemed to be nothing except darkness. What was this? I stood up and it held a rod out to me. The rod was white with a complete crown as the figurehead; the crown was the same style as the half around my neck. The crown floated inside a heart. The heart was not attached but hung in the center of a black, ball shaped cage that was speckled with stars that moved and changed like the night sky. On the other end there where parts sticking out that made it look like a key for a giant lock. It was beautiful and at that time I didn't know how powerful it was.

"This is your destiny, you are the Guardian." Came a voice, not just from the figure but also from the sky itself. It was loud and quiet at the same time and I knew I was the only one who could hear it.

"The Guardian of what?" I asked it, I could hear the tremble in my own voice.

"Kingdom Hearts and the Keyblade master." The figure said simply and disappeared.

Then the figure sunk into the ground and everything was still. The world seemed to be on mute for a few seconds and then a normal light breeze rose up from the ocean. The rod was left suspended in front of me and I picked it up and it disappeared. This is my destiny I knew somehow I would have to find this Kingdom Hearts and little did I know, that Sora was going on his own adventure at this very moment searching for Kingdom Hearts and Kairi.

When I woke up, I realized I had fallen sleep on the dock. It was late, about midnight, and "Altair, Spica, Vera…. Protect me." I whispered to the silver triangle and then I rushed off taking Hikari and flew to the only planet we knew how to get to, Traverse Town. That night just after we left, the darkness took Luna Islands into the ocean and took my parents with it. I watched the heartless invade it from the ship, and as far as I knew, Scyther and Zephyr were dead.

**Sora**

The Keyblade

Now you all probably know where I was at this point: In Traverse Town fighting Armor and meeting Donald and Goofy. But here's the thing. Everyone's heard my story but probably not the whole story. I mean, not the beginning at least right? When the darkness took over Destiny Islands and Kairi disappeared and Riku turned against me I had no one and nowhere to go.

Personally, if you don't understand this next part don't get all frustrated or anything. It took me about a bazillion times of Nakara explaining it, about five hours of coaching from Riku, a massage from Kairi (Hey, it was stressful, ok?), and about forty minutes of washing dye out of my hair from Nakara dying it out of frustration.

Nakara got her staff a few days after Destiny Islands was destroyed. No, she didn't get it the same way I did partly because she wasn't supposed to have a choice, and the staff was given to her directly from the King. It was to balance everything out. One to protect, one to fight and one to destroy. I guess I was the fighter. Riku of course was the destroyer, but that didn't mean anything. I think it meant more that he had the power to destroy than that his destiny was set. You know what I mean?

You know you need a balance. Dark balances Light. I balance Riku. I guess Nakara was just the scale, measuring us both up to our abilities. We all represented something profound. That is what I hated about being in this mess; I didn't know what I was doing or whom I stood for. All I knew is that some guy gave me this key and the little bugs they named heartless destroyed my planet and took away my love and my best friend. How fair is that? Here, I take away everything and now you have to go fight to get it back.

But before all that, before the mayhem, I never really thought much of the islands. Though I was comfortable there, I always wanted to explore more. Explore off the island and into the beyond. Especially after Nakara left on a boat with her family. They all say you never know what you had until it's gone right? How ironic is that? I wanted so bad to explore the worlds beyond and see everything and look how it ended up. I never really saw what I had right there on the islands. It may not have seemed exciting or anything, but it was better than trying to save my friends from almost certain death.

I never really saw Riku for who he was. And you know what? Kairi never did either. As much as he loved her, she never saw the true him, the tortured and grieving him, sitting inside waiting to spring out at the chance. If only I had seen what he was fighting all this life I might have been able to save our relationship. If only I had realized that Riku was hurting and weak of spirit, then what happened might not have happened. He might have been the Keyblade Master. Kairi might have not ever have been heartless. Nakara might never have left. I might never have grown up. We might have finished the raft and sailed off into the sunset. It might have worked out all right and perfect and smooth and wonderful. But that didn't happen, and life goes on. Riku was being ripped apart from the inside and I was too blind to see his own pain

Nakara was right for him. She saw what Kairi didn't see and she cared, not that Kairi didn't care. It was a different care. A caring that people could see by the way she looked at him, by the sweet tone of voice she took on only when she spoke to him, by their nightly talks. She helped him and… She loved him, still loves him. If only she had stayed with us. Everyday I drown in the if only's and might have's. I wonder if things could be different, if we could have not suffered for so long or at all. If only, If only, If only, should be, might have, what if. But you can't change the past, no matter how much you want to.


End file.
